Children and Care Leavers

General Advice and Support

The Agency for Adoption and Permanency Support – PAC-UK runs a specialist counselling service for adults who were adopted as children, who often find that they struggle with a range of specific issues for which they need support from counsellors who understand adoption. PAC-UK’s counselling service is also for adults who as children were permanently placed in a family other than their birth family, yet not adopted.

4Children – the national charity all about children and families. They have spearheaded a joined-up, integrated approach to children’s services and work with a wide range of partners around the country to ensure children and families have access to the services and support they need in their communities. They run Sure Start Children’s Centres as well as family and youth services across Britain.

Action for Children – a charity that works directly with parents and carers and offers wide range of services to children in care.

Barnados – a charity that aims to transfer the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK. You can search on the website to find the services it offers in your local area, including advocacy for children.

The CFAB blog – Children and Families Across Borders is a specialist charitable organisation dedicated to the identification and protection of children who have been separated from family members as a consequence of abduction, trafficking, migration, divorce, conflict and asylum.

The Children’s Commissioner – following the Children and Families Act 2014, the primary function of the Children’s Commission is now to promote and protect children’s rights. Children who live away from home or receive social care can call on the free phone number 0800 528 0731 for advice and assistance.

Children’s Rights Alliance for England – CRAE protects the human rights of children by lobbying government and others who hold power, by bringing or supporting test cases, and by using regional and international human rights mechanisms.

The Children’s Society – offers a network of programmes includes drop-in services for runaways, children’s centres and support for young carers. They support children who are refugees from violence, and give those in care a voice. They provide independent advocates for children in care.

Coram – the first dedicated children’s charity, established by Thomas Coram in 1739. Coram helps children and young people develop their skills and emotional health, finds adoptive parents and upholds children’s rights, creating a change that lasts a lifetime.

CoramBAAF Adoption & Fostering Academy – the leading membership organisation dedicated to improving outcomes for children and young people in care by supporting the agencies and professionals who work with them.

The Reasons Why Foundation – looks at the causes and effects of attitude, behaviour and actions, highlighting potential areas of harmful/negative impact on youth development and gives young people the opportunity to share their own thoughts, beliefs and experiences in a safe environment, in complete confidence where they know they are being listened to, heard and valued.

Adopted children

The Lost Daughters – a collaborative writing project from adult women who were adopted. They aim to discuss the positives and negatives about adoption.

The Open Nest – a creative, forward thinking charitable project born from personal experiences of the adoption and long term fostering of traumatised children. The charity aims to address the gap in the provision of specialist peer support services to adopted children who have anxiety and trauma related behaviours.

Children’s Advocates

Coram Voice – enables and equips children and young people to hold to account the services that are responsible for their care. Their advocacy services provide these children with a professional adult who will listen to them, establish their wishes, opinions and fears, and ensure their voice is heard.

Children in care

Hackney Child – visit Jenny Molloy’s website and Facebook page. Jenny, writing as Hope Daniels is the author of ‘Hackney Child’, a memoir of her experiences growing up in care.

Issues of harm and abuse

BASPCAN -The Association was established to protect children from suffering, or likelihood of suffering, significant harm, ill-treatment, impairment of health or development by the encouragement and promotion of any methods, services and facilities calculated to safeguard and promote the welfare of such children. It aims to educate and inform the public at large, and in particular those persons professionally qualified in relevant fields, in all aspects and effects of abuse and neglect on children generally.

The Hide Out – to help children understand domestic violence and how to get help.

NSPCC – National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Children – call them if you are worried about a child. Call 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

Financial help

Buttle UK – to give children and young people living in poverty a fighting chance. Operates grant programmes to buy basic items.

The Royal National Children’s Foundation – a charity which helps vulnerable children and young people in Britain whose circumstances are seriously prejudicial to their normal development and where no other care is available. It can provide grants and boarding school placements for children aged 7 – to give children and young people living in poverty a fighting chance; offers grants to buy essential and basic items.

Legal Advice

Just for Kids Law – delivers holistic, client-led support to children and young people from crisis to stability and onwards into independence. They offer community-based legal representation, advocacy and opportunities programme. They aim to be the UK’s leading experts in youth justice law, sharing their knowledge, expertise and model across the UK and the world.

Mental Health, Emotional well being and Disability

Dot Com Children’s Foundation – a programme supported by the Home Office which gives children the tools to cope with risky situations and helps children learn how to value themselves and others and make safer choices in their lives.

Childhood First – therapy and support for children with emotional and psychological issues.

Council for Disabled Children – aims to make a difference to the lives of disabled children and children with special educational needs. Produces guidance on issues affecting the lives of disabled children.

Mindful – a service for 11-17 year olds. It provides support, information and advice about mental health and emotional wellbeing, helping you to overcome life’s ups and downs and helping you feel confident and happy about who you are.

Papyrus – organisation formed in 1997 by a group of parents who had lost children through suicide. Aims to reduce the stigma association with suicide and raise awareness. Telephone helpline 0800 068 41 41.

Young Minds – a leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.